MEEKER I The Meeker High School boys’ wrestling team competed in four dual matches last week, hosting Palisade and Hayden, then traveling to Moffat County to wrestle the Bulldogs and Delta Panthers, both 3A teams. The Cowboys lost only to Delta.
The Cowboys will host the Cedaredge Bruins on Friday then the Meeker Invitational on Saturday, in the final action before the regional tournament.
“We had a good crowd for the matches against Palisade and Hayden,” head coach J.C. Watt said. “It’s nice to have the support, and it makes it fun for the kids.”
Meeker defeated the 3A Palisade Bulldogs 45-24 and 2A Hayden Tigers 51-28 in front of a large crowd, then traveled to Craig, where they lost to Delta 42-30 before pounding the host 54-15.
Meeker, currently ranked No. 3 in the state by On the Mat Rankings, won 27 of 40 matches wrestled in the four duals, including 17 by pin. Meeker won seven of 12 matches against Delta, but still lost the dual.
Seniors Tristin Pelloni and Anthony Watt, junior T.J. Shelton and sophomore Casey Turner won all four of their matches. Senior Kylloe Goedert, junior Devon Pontine and sophomores Sheridan Harvey and Tyler Ilgen each won three matches, each adding to the pin count too.
Sophomore Chase Rule earned a couple of wins as did classmate Hunter Garcia. Freshman Jacob Pelloni and sophomore Caleb Bradford each wrestled at least two matches but did not win.
Meeker will host Cedaredge in a dual Friday, and all Meeker wrestlers, including those on the junior varsity, will be entered in the bracketed tournament on Saturday, which will feature wrestlers from, Rifle, Glenwood Springs, Steamboat Springs, Coal Ridge, Grand Valley, Battle Mountain and Rangely.
“It will be good to be at home for the weekend before the regional tournament,” coach Watt said.
